Age of Rebirth

The first thousand and eighty-fourth chapter retreat into a rout

The battle between land and sea in the Japanese military circle has a long history, dating back to the Russo-Japanese War at the beginning of this century. This time, it is no exception. The army believes that it can completely rely on the army's strength in Southeast Asia to complete the empire's occupation of Southeast Asia. At this time, the Japanese navy has not yet selected a clear opponent in the South Pacific, and its strategic intentions are relatively vague.

For such a big operation of Japan in Southeast Asia, the navy cannot allow the army to monopolize its beauty, and it will inevitably stand out and get a share of the pie. Emperor Hirohito did not want the army to dominate the army because of the need to balance the relationship between the army and the navy. Therefore, Emperor Hirohito said In other words, a piece of cake was cut out and given to the navy. The three main attack directions of the Japanese army on the Southeast Asian battlefield, occupying Singapore and controlling the Strait of Malacca, became the mission of the Japanese navy.

After the start of the Southeast Asian War, in fact, the Japanese navy and army were in a relatively fragmented state, each working in its own way, unable to communicate with each other, and there was also a desire to compete with each other, otherwise, the British would feel even more uncomfortable.

In his heart, Alexander had accepted the suggestion of Chief of Staff Francis. Apart from that, he had no better coping strategy. On the third day after the Japanese army launched a full-scale attack on the Indochina Peninsula, Alexander, in the name of the commander-in-chief of the British Army in Southeast Asia, , issued an order to the entire British army and the affiliated Burmese army, and all troops immediately retreated to the Mandalay assembly point in central Myanmar. [

In fact, without Alexander's order, the British army retreated steadily under the Japanese offensive. Fearing death, from Limiao in Burma to Chiang Mai in Thailand, there was no obvious line of defense at all, and the speed of the Japanese army's advance was quite alarming.

Following the occupation of Yangon and Bangkok, the two Japanese armies marched hand in hand. From Burma and southern Thailand, a turbid wave swept northward. The British troops withdrawn from the southern Indochina Peninsula hated their parents for having two legs. Son, running all the way, according to the basic principle of the general retreat of the troops, it should be blocked step by step, try to use the favorable terrain on the retreat road, block or delay the speed of the pursuing troops, and buy time for the large troops.

Alexander also emphasized this point in his order for the general retreat of the entire army. He still overestimated the combat effectiveness and fighting will of his troops. It can be said that all British troops have been frightened by the ferocity of the Japanese. With courage, that unit is not willing to serve as a rear guard to stop the Japanese pursuit.

Troops were chaotic and scrambling to flee for their lives had become a norm. The British and Burmese troops retreating northward from Myanmar and southern Thailand filled all the roads in the Indochina Peninsula. , Such as entering the land of people, this phenomenon happened at the beginning of the war. Even the Japanese who were ready to return to the highest price to kill the British were quite surprised and puzzled.

This kind of mentality was expressed in the telegram of General Ito Genzaburo, the commander-in-chief of Japan’s Southeast Asian Expeditionary Army, to Emperor Hirohito, “Your Majesty, since our Imperial Army launched the Southeast Asian Campaign on April [-], the results of the battle are Completely different from what was originally expected, the Imperial Army regarded the British army as a strong opponent, but the fact is that, except for a decent resistance by the British army in Yangon, the British army did not fight in other directions of attack. Crash."

"Wherever the imperial army went, the British army had already fled. Abandoned equipment and materials were piled up at various strategic points. Only three days after the start of the battle, our Imperial Japanese Army entered the frontage hundreds of kilometers wide. More than [-] kilometers, if the momentum continues, in the first half of this year, the combat mission against the British army in the Indochina Peninsula can be completely ended."

General Genzaburo Ito's complacency was beyond words. He had reason to be complacent. He fought for three days. It was originally expected to take 2 casualties to capture Rangoon and Bangkok. It was less than one-tenth of the estimate, and Ito Yanzaburo's triangular eyes were almost squinted together.

At the end of the telegram, General Genzaburo Ito said in a positive tone: "Your Majesty, two months later, the battle situation in the Indochina Peninsula will be decided. This piece of fertile land has already been owned by the Empire of Japan." Emperor Hirohito was overjoyed. In addition to commending the brilliant achievements of the imperial army dispatched in Southeast Asia, he also specially awarded the Imperial Chrysanthemum Medal to Genzaburo Ito. Hirohito could finally sleep at ease.

After Alexander gave the order, he was in Mandalay, waiting impatiently for the retreating troops to arrive. During this period, he did not forget to send various small troops to the Savage Mountain to lead the Japanese Terauchi Shouichi troops. I understand that I have done a stupid thing that even God will not forgive.

Baba went to greet them, what kind of allies are they? They are clearly a group of evil wolves. If under the leadership of the guide team he sent, more than 20 Japanese soldiers walked out of Savage Mountain and echoed with the more than 40 Japanese troops going north. Attacked from the north and the south, the British army that withdrew to Mandalay became a ball of dumpling stuffing, and the Japanese could eat whatever they wanted.

He ordered the radio station of the headquarters to call the guide team non-stop. There was only one order: stop searching and contacting the Japanese army, and immediately withdraw to Myitkyina. , none of them could be contacted, and Alexander's head was "buzzing".

He couldn't figure it out, could it be that all the guides disappeared mysteriously?Alexander didn't even have time to regret it. The big rock he lifted not only hit his own feet, but his head might not be spared. He controlled this matter within a very small range and couldn't afford to lose this person. Chief of Staff Francis suggested that Alexander was hesitant to make peace with Tang Qiuli. The Japanese army in Savage Mountain was his heart disease.

This disturbing matter has not been resolved, and a more devastating event also happened. Two days ago, taking advantage of the darkness before dawn and the Japanese army stopped attacking, they withdrew the British Garrison Commander Ai from Yangon. Major General Surridge was finally tired from running and couldn't run anymore. He made a short stop in a small town more than 200 kilometers north of Limu.

After taking a breath, I sent a telegram to Alexander, "Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, I have to report a bad news to you. In the early morning of April [-], the Japanese army launched an attack on Yangon. The air force bombed the key target, the official residence was bombed and razed to the ground. When the governor himself entered the basement, the passage suddenly collapsed, and more than ten people, including his entourage, were all killed. Because the troops evacuated hastily, the governor’s body is still in Yangon Among the ruins of the Governor's Mansion."

In other words, the supreme chief executive of the British Empire in Burma, the personal representative of the Queen of England, and Lord Ebsen, the local emperor who ruled Burma for more than ten years, was not able to rest in the ground, and the corpse was ruined. Major General Etheridge ran in a hurry Yes, there is not even time to bury a person. Except for the body of Governor Ebsen who was left for the Japanese, more than half of the British officials and expatriates in Yangon have become prisoners of the Japanese army. As for whether the fact is so hasty, only the British God and Major General Etheridge himself know best.

When he received the telegram from Major General Etheridge, Alexander burst into tears. He couldn't help but feel sad. The personal relationship between him and Lord Ebsen was neither very close nor distant. The position of the head, for the expansion of the overseas territories of the British Empire, works like a dog and a horse together, with frequent exchanges.

Speaking of it, this is the sin of Alexander himself. He formed an alliance with the Japanese in order to deal with Tang Qiuli. The whole of Myanmar and the Indochina Peninsula were undefended against the Japanese. With such a good opportunity, how could the Japanese miss it? Secret agents and eyes and ears, Every street in Yangon is carefully marked on the map.

Of course, the Governor’s Mansion will be the target of key care. I am afraid that even the color of the underwear that the Governor’s wife hangs out during the day will be placed on the desk of General Genzaburo Ito, the commander-in-chief of Japan’s Southeast Asian Expeditionary Force. Alexander himself is still blessed by God and is lucky. Son, when the Japanese air raided Yangon, he was in Mandalay, busy planning the deployment against the Chinese, not at the general headquarters.

Otherwise, the fate of the general himself may not be better than that of Governor Ebsen. In fact, the whole of Yangon is the most severely bombed by the Japanese in these two places. Dozens of Japanese bombers surrounded the British headquarters. The headquarters and the governor's mansion were blown up for a whole day, and all the buildings on the ground were reduced to a pile of rubble. [

The Japanese are also ruthless enough to attack them. They don't care about General Alexander's sympathy for them. He secretly flirts with them. He turns his face when he says he will turn his back on him. , uprooted, overseas territories into the bag.

The intelligence system of the Independent Division Intelligence Department in the Indochina Peninsula is running tensely and at a high speed. The battle situation in various places, the speed of the Japanese army's advance, the deployment of troops, the retreat route of the British army, and other information about the battle situation are continuously collected in the The intelligence analysis center of the intelligence department, after Bai Luoyu sorted it out, formed a clear and rigorous piece of information.

Tang Qiuli looked at the information and shook his head again and again. The British were finished in the Indochina Peninsula. They retreated in such a panic without a plan. Although they could stay as far away from the pursuers as possible, they could compete with the Japanese with 10 people. Crowded in chaos on several narrow roads in Myanmar, the Japanese infantry had no choice but for the Japanese aviation, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Live targets everywhere, several simple roads leading to Mandalay, soldiers scrambling for their lives, retreating without any anti-aircraft fire cover, is it strange that they can escape the eyes of the Japanese aviation soldiers?Alexander will pay enough for his previous stupidity, and this price is the lives of thousands of British soldiers.

(To be continued)

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